Long run bonk

[Brit]

Word vomit summary: My long run sucked. I'm scared if the next one and scared that I'm in over my head.

My confidence is totally shaken after my long run. I have a cut back week this week, so I only had 10 miles after doing 13 last week. The 13 last week was easy, I felt good with the exception of the bottoms of my feet getting sore by the end.

Yesterday I ran 10 at the same pace as last week's 13. I came close to walking several times and felt generally bad like I was working too hard. The weather was the same for both runs, I ate/drank according to the same plan. There was no obvious reason for the suck.

I am so sore today. Last week I didn't get sore at all after the 13.

What gives? How will I do 14 next week?

[Mushe]

I find that some days are just harder than others, without the easy explanation of food/weather/etc. I'm sorry this was yours, but please don't question yourself!

[gt7301b]

Some runs suck.

Next time WILL be better.

[Wines Not Whines]

You'll be ok. I have one very bad long run during every training cycle. It's like a rite of passage. It's always better the next week.

[hannahb]

I've been running since I was 14 (I'm 35) and there are days where it's like I've never ran before in my entire life. It happens.

[sadlebred]

Sometimes a bad day is just a bad day. You'll do great next week!

[Brit]

Ugh! Thanks y'all. I still feel whooped. Back on the horse...

[thom]

It happens. I wish it didn't, but it happens. I hope your next long run is 100% better.

Also, I know for me a long run is always challenging on some level. Even if it's "only" 12 miles on a cut back week or "just" 9 miles during taper. It could be a great run, but it takes effort. It seems like some people will say that 10 miles seems like nothing by the end of marathon training, but I never get to that point. Double digit runs are a big deal in my book. I hope that's not a downer, but in my experience some things about long runs are just. Well. Long.

Good luck Brit. We are rooting for you. Is the weather cooling down any yet?

ETA: I don't have an answer for the soreness, but that totally happened to me last weekend. I didn't even run my best half, but I felt trashed the next day. It was more like post-marathon soreness. I'm feeling better now and had a super 8 mile today. Sometimes it just goes that way.

[carilyn]

I agree with the others. I have one awful long run each cycle that is a total mental battle that leaves me feeling broken and like I'll never be able to run again. It sucks. But, the next one is always better.

I'm a firm believer that those hard runs are the most important, no matter the distance. Those are the ones that build your mental strength. So now you know that when the going gets tough, you're able to keep on going, even when every ounce of your being is fighting it.

[2doxies]

This happened to me a two weeks ago - went out to do 10, stopped after 4. I was so disappointed in myself, I had a great 9 mile run the week before. Three days later I got my period, I blame it on that. Good luck, you'll have another good run coming up!

[Brit]

@thom2202 - The weather is getting a bit better. We are having overnight lows between 75 and 80, so that's huge!